Healthcare in Lancashire is now (as of 2015) the responsibility of 7 Clinical Commissioning Groups covering Blackpool, Chorley and South Ribble, East Lancashire, Fylde and Wyre, Greater Preston, Lancaster North and West Lancashire.
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History
From 1947 to 1974 NHS services in Lancashire (Including Manchester but not Liverpool) were managed by the Manchester Regional Hospital Board. In 1974 the Boards were abolished and replaced by Regional Health Authorities. Lancashire and Manchester came under the North Western RHA. Regions were reorganised in 1996 and Lancashire came under the North West Regional Health Authority. Lancashire from 1974 had 7 District health authorities, for: Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley; Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde; Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale; Chorley and South Ribble; Lancaster; Preston; and West Lancashire. In 1994 4 new District health authorities were established covering East Lancashire, North West Lancashire, South Lancashire and Morecambe Bay District (which extended into Cumbria). 9 Primary care trusts were established covering the whole of the county in 2002: Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool, Chorley and South Ribble, Preston, West Lancashire, East Lancashire Teaching, Fylde, Wyre, and half of Morecambe Bay. In 2006 they were reduced by mergers to five. They were managed by the Cumbria and Lancashire Strategic Health Authority until 2006 and then by the North West SHA from 2002 until 2013.
The CCGs took on the responsibilities of the former PCTs on 1 April 2013.
Lancashire and South Cumbria formed a sustainability and transformation plan area in March 2016 with Dr Amanda Doyle OBE the Chief Clinical Officer of Blackpool Clinical Commissioning Group as its leader
Commissioning
The Clinical Commissioning Groups and local authorities established an organisation called Healthier Lancashire in November 2015 to build a case for “radical” system changes in the county, which faces an annual funding shortfall of £804 million a year by 2020 - 23% of the total forecast funding for health and adult social care.
Primary and community care
There are General Practices throughout the county. The average payment per weighted patient in the county after adjustments for age/deprivation – is £116.69, per year compared to £136.01 nationally.
Out-of-hours services are provided by East Lancashire Medical Services Limited, OWLS CIC Ltd (West Lancashire), Chorley Medics and Bay Urgent Care. Virgin Care won a five-year contract for services previously provided by Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust in West Lancashire in 2016.
Community care is provided by Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust and Spiral Health CIC. The Fylde Coast Multispecialty community provider has reduced A&E visits from people over 60 with long term conditions by 13%, and emergency admissions by 25%.
Hospice care is provided by East Lancashire Hospice, Rossendale Hospice, St Catherine's Hospice, Pendleside Hospice and Derian House Children's Hospice
Healthwatch
Healthwatch was set up under the Health and Social Care Act 2012 to act as a voice for patients. There is a Healthwatch for each borough.
Mental health
The biggest provider is Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust. There are only 16 beds for children available in Lancashire — 10 for children under 16 at The Junction in Lancaster and six for those aged 16 and 17 at The Platform in Preston. 29 children were sent outside the county for treatment in 2016, some as far as Norwich, mostly because there were not enough beds available. It is planned to provide 56 more beds in 2017.
Hospital and acute care
Acute care is provided principally by Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust, Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust.